The Red Honey Gourami is sometimes known as the Honey Dwarf, Sunburst, or Dwarf Gourami, and is closely related to the Colisa lalia Dwarf Gourami. Both the male and female are red. When spawning, the male becomes honey to ochre with a blue throat and black on the front of the anal fin. The Honey Gourami is a labyrinth fish, meaning it has gills and a special organ which allows it to also breathe directly from the air. As a result, it prefers to have access to the surface of the water in the aquarium.
The Honey Gourami requires a tank of at least 25 litres that is heavily planted and has a good cover of floating plants. The ideal tank mates should be smaller, peaceful, and gentle. The Honey Dwarf Gourami becomes territorial during spawning.
A pair of Honey Gouramis will defend their territory during spawning. The male will build a bubblenest, but the pair may spawn before the nest is built. After spawning, the female should be moved to a different tank. The larvae hatch in 24-36 hours and are free-swimming after approximately one day. The male will tend to the eggs and fry, and when the fry are 2-3 days old, the male should also be removed. When first hatched, the fry should be fed infusoria, and later, brine shrimp and finely ground flakes. Freeze-dried tablets may also be fed to older fry.
The Honey Gourami is an omnivore and prefers both algae-based foods as well as meaty foods. An algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp will provide this fish with proper nutrition.
Ideal tank mates include: Mollies Swordtails Guppies Platies Tetras Danios Rasboras Rainbowfish Barbs Loaches Plecos Scavenger Catfish